The present invention relates to a modular assembly for a functional louvered shutter and, more particularly, to an assembly adapted to be made from extruded and molded plastic components providing substantial interassembly component identity.
Louvered shutters are used on both the interior and exterior of buildings for both decorative and functional purposes. Today, exterior louvered shutters are generally non-functional and used primarily for decorative purposes. However, interior louvered shutters often serve both a decorative and a functional purpose. Thus, interior shutters may be utilized in lieu of curtains, shades or draperies as a functional window or door cover and also provide a decorative function either when closed or opened.
The construction of functional window shutters has remained essentially unchanged for well over 100 years. Both outdoor and indoor shutters have typically been made of wood and basically include a pair of top and bottom frame members, interconnected by a pair of vertical side frame members, and a series of louvers pivotally attached by their ends between the side frame members. Also, a control bar interconnecting the ends of the louvers may be utilized to open and close the louvers in unison. U.S. Pat. No. 192,353 shows a louvered blind constructed of wood in which a portion of one side frame member to which the louver pivots are attached is removable to facilitate replacement of a damaged louver. A similar construction, also in a functional louver of wood construction in which vertical holding strips attached to the side frame members may be removed to facilitate louver replacement, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 863,573. U.S. Pat. No. 1,701,695 also shows a functional louvered shutter made substantially of wood, but having vertical metal strips separately attached to the inside faces of the side frame members and to which the louvers are pivotally attached. This construction likewise facilitates replacement of a damaged louver. Adjustable louvered shutters in which the entire construction of both the frame and louvers are of metal is also known, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,230,707.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 192,353; 863,573 and 3,451,165 all disclose functional louvered shutters in which a vertical control bar or control arm interconnects each of the louvers so that they may be moved and adjusted together. Such control arms may be attached centrally on the front edges of the louvers or attached at one side to the ends of the louvers. In any case, the louver control arm is exposed, at least in a certain of the louver positions, whereby it detracts substantially from the appearance of the shutter, provides additional crevices and joints for the accumulation of dust, dirt and the like, and tends to restrict easy access to the louvers for cleaning.
A common characteristic of all prior art shutters, typified by those shown and described in the above identified patents, is that they are generally made to a particular size for the purpose of covering and closing a window or door opening of certain dimensions. It is also known to hinge shutters together such that arrays of two or more pairs of shutters may be utilized to provide a closure for a window opening. In all cases, the shutters must be constructed such that the shutter array essentially matches both the width and height of the window or door opening to be covered. As a result, some customization is required for nearly all functional indoor louvered shutters and the ultimate overall dimensions are essentially fixed in the manufacturing process.
It is known to manufacture decorative outdoor louvered shutters of plastic and to provide some modularity such that shutters of varying height and width dimensions can be readily assembled. As indicated, however, these shutters are strictly decorative, adapted to be attached to the outside wall of the building next to a window and having fixed position louvers.
It would be desirable to be able to provide fully functional louvered indoor shutters which could be readily assembled on-sight from modular components in a manner to accommodate window or door openings of widely varying sizes. Ideally, such a modular shutter construction would be adaptable for do-it-yourself assembly and installation, and require use of no more than ordinarily available handtools.